Schoen on track to repeat as CFL leader in receiving yards, TDs By: Taylor Allen Posted: 6:31 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 27, 2023

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This article was published 27/09/2023 (1100 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have never had a receiver lead the CFL in receiving yards and/or total touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.

Not James Murphy, not Milt Stegall, no one.

Dalton Schoen may be a few weeks away from changing that.

Schoen topped the league in both categories last year as a rookie with 1,441 yards and 16 touchdowns.

With four regular season games remaining in 2023, Schoen has a chance to do it again and make history.

He’s currently first in touchdowns (10) and second in receiving yards (1,035) trailing only Montreal Alouettes receiver Austin Mack (1,057).

Schoen, who was limited in Wednesday’s closed practice, is listed as questionable for Friday’s game at IG Field against the visiting Toronto Argonauts (12-1).

“I’m surprised Milt didn’t do that to be honest with you,” Schoen said Wednesday.

“That’d be really incredible, honestly. But as I said to you guys all the time last year, I think those individual accomplishments are very secondary. The No. 1 goal is to win games. And not to mention, it’s not just me doing those things out there, obviously. It’s the people around me, and getting to play with the best quarterback in the league, probably one of the best this league has ever seen. So, I’ve definitely benefited from all those things, but if that were to happen, that would be pretty special.”

“The No. 1 goal is to win games. And not to mention, it’s not just me doing those things out there, obviously. It’s the people around me.”–Dalton Schoen

Whether the 26-year old product of Kansas State hits that milestone or not, it’s safe to say he’s dodged the dreaded sophomore slump. The expectations were sky high after Year 1 but Schoen hasn’t disappointed.

“How do you respond and approach a year when maybe you don’t have the same edge you had the year before? Last year I’m coming up here for training camp I don’t even know if I’m going to make the team. I’m fighting every day in training camp just to prove myself and try to earn my way into the starting lineup,” said Schoen.

“You compare that to this year where you’re coming up and know you have a starting job. So, it kind of maybe changes the way you approach things or that edge or fire you have in practice, but I try not to worry about that stuff and just focus on my process in how I attack each week and each game.”

Schoen is the first receiver to reach 1,000 yards in his first two seasons since Derel Walker did it with Edmonton in 2015-16. Schoen’s also the third Winnipeg player to do so, joining James Murphy (1983-84) and Perry Tuttle (1986-87).

Schoen is coming off of two straight 100-yard games.

“He’s just smart, man. He asks the right questions, he does the right things, and doesn’t make the same mistake twice,” said receiver Nic Demski.

“I remember when he came here last year as a rookie, he just wanted to soak up all the information he could and get to know the playbook top down. When you got a guy like that who’s determined to be a high IQ type of guy, and the athlete that he is, he puts it all together really well. He works hard for it and his play shows that.”

Running back Brady Oliveira sees the work Schoen puts in as the duo stay late after every practice to do hand-eye co-ordination drills with tennis balls to improve their catching.

“He’s a good person. I always say good things happen to good people and he’s the epitome of a good person.”–Brady Oliveira

“We’ve been doing that since he came here as a rookie last year. The weight room, the film room, whatever, he’s always trying to be better. But the biggest thing about him is that he’s just a good human being,” said Oliveira.

“He’s a good person. I always say good things happen to good people and he’s the epitome of a good person. So, it’s not a surprise to me that he’s probably going to lead the league in receiving again for the second time in a row.”

DEMSKI CLOSING IN ON 1K

Sixty-nine yards.

That’s all Nic Demski needs to reach 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his career. No team has ever had two Canadians reach the 1,000 yard receiving and rushing mark in the same season. With Oliveira at 1,190 rushing yards, it’s now up to Demski to do his part.

The Bombers haven’t had a Canadian register 1,000 yards receiving since 1995 when Gerald Wilcox did it.

“I think that’s one of those things you don’t focus on too much during the season. After the season’s done, you look back at it and it is an accomplishment. But at the end of the day, my only focus right now is getting back into a rhythm and stacking these wins,” said Demski.

“That’s what I’ve been thinking about this whole season and the yards just kind of come with it.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

X: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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